Streamlined interfaces in many components. Thunderbird now the default email client. Improved 32-bit application support for 64-bit installations, handling of visuals without hardware acceleration.

Cons

Few significant changes since previous release. Some clunky refinements.

Bottom Line

The latest version of the popular free Linux distribution Ubuntu makes lots of tiny changes that don’t quite add up to a big impact.

When it comes to each new edition of their free mainstream Linux distribution, Ubuntu, the folks at Canonical must drive themselves nuts coming up with names. It's hard to imagine another explanation for the appellation version 11.10's “Oneiric Ocelot” appellation. It’s not easy to see what a “dreamy American wildcat” has to do with polishing up some interface and application elements, which is about all that's happened this time around—there are few sweeping changes. Perhaps the development team is merely marking its territory, paving the way for the future and the next Long Term Support (LTS) release already slated for April? Whatever the case, Ubuntu 11.10 is fine in most ways, if seldom exciting in any.

Most of what you get in Ubuntu 11.10 are refinements to the advancements made in Ubuntu 11.04 (“Natty Narwhal”) and Ubuntu 10.10 (“Maverick Meerkat”), in which the new (and somewhat controversial) Unity shell was introduced in the netbook edition. Personally, I’ve liked Unity since the beginning, and found it a useful way of making the occasionally cold OS friendlier, particularly for Windows and Mac OS users looking to dip their toes into free and open-source software. But the programmers have implemented a number of small tweaks to make it even clearer and more useful.

Dash Through UbuntuForemost among these is a new Dash icon at the top of the program launcher bar on the left edge of the screen. This automatically brings up the system through which you can interact with your various applications and search through your files, in a way that’s a bit more straightforward than what was used in 11.04. Both the Dash and its various sub “Lenses” (for finding software for use with media, the Internet, and so on) have been adjusted to make navigation and searching more intuitive. It's now easier to track down the software you're most likely to use frequently, and filter by common criteria such as program type or star rating (these appear only when you need them).

Software Center RemodelThe Ubuntu Software Center, where you can download free or for-pay applications to round out your Ubuntu experience, has also received a makeover. A large area near the top of the window advertises programs you may find interesting, and gives the entire application a cleaner and more professional look. There's less clutter, too: A simple list of software categories has replaced the program’s original sidebar, making you less likely to feel like you’re digging for what you want to download.

Matthew Murray got his humble start leading a technology-sensitive life in elementary school, where he struggled to satisfy his ravenous hunger for computers, computer games, and writing book reports in Integer BASIC. He earned his B.A. in Dramatic Writing at Western Washington University, where he also minored in Web design and German. He has been building computers for himself and others for more than 20 years, and he spent several years working in IT and helpdesk capacities before escaping into the far more exciting world...
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